Description of apparently new species and sub-species of mammals from Oklahoma Territory

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PUBLICATION 37.

Doster B Vou. I, No. 14.
Ox bl a Laywo, sr
7 DESCRIPTION

OF

APPARENTLY NEW SPECIES
AND SUB-SPRCLIES

5E45 OF

wed MAMMALS

FROM

OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

BY

Cr TO rs i Peokes

CURATOR OF DEPARTMENT.

Cuicaco, U. S. A.
May 9g, 1899.

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FreLp CoL_umMBIAN MuSEUM

| PUBLICATION 37.
ZOOLOGICAL SERIES. Voi? lt; Neva.

DESCRIPTION

OF

Poke es ENE oN Wo STi Tis
AND: SUB-SPECIES

OF

MAMMALS

FROM

OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

BY

DinG. YS EEnom aR See

CURATOR OF DEPARTMENT.

Ciiesco. We oe As
May 9, 1899.

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DESCRIPTIONS OF APPARENTLY NEW SPECIES AND SUB-
SPECIES OF MAMMALS FROM OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

BY De Gee EPLIOn WIR Stn.

1. Neotoma macropus surberi, subsp. nov.

Type locality. Cation three miles west of Alva, Oklahoma Ter-
ritory. Adult g. Collected February 20, 1899, by Thaddeus
Surber.

Characters. Similar to VV. macropus, and WV. m. canescens, but
darker above, with a longer tail having the upper part almost
black.

Color. Entire upper parts of body, and forelegs, and flanks,
iron gray, the hairs tipped with white. Top of head same color,
but the cheeks a paler gray. Under parts white, hairs of chin,
throat, breast and space between hind legs, white to the roots,
those of remaining portion plumbeous at base. Hands and feet
pure white to wrists and ankles. Tail long, above grayish
black on basal third, almost pure black for remaining parts.
Side& and under parts pure white. Ears slightly covered with
brownish-black hairs, the bases hidden by tufts of iron-gray hairs.
Whiskers long, black with a few white bristles intermingled.

Cranial characters. The skull of the present sub-species is
considerably larger than that of JV. micropus, even the female’s
exceeding in size that of the male of that species. The inter-
orbital space, however, is narrower, the palate longer, as is also
the upper tooth row. The nasals also are longer and broader
anteriorly. Zygomatic width much greater, and the zygomatic
arch more square in outline posteriorly, the process of the
squamosal projecting outward and then ata right angle forward.

Measurements. Total length, 430 mm. Tail, 197. Hind
foot, 43.

Skull. Occipito-nasal, length, 50 mm. Basilar length of Hen-
sel, .43. Greatest zygomatic breadth, 28. Greatest mastoid
breadth, 20. Breadth across postorbital processes, 10. Least
inter-orbital breadth, 6.5. Palatal length, 10. Length of nasals,
20. Upper tooth row along alveolus, 10. Height of coronoid

279

280

FIELD CoLumMBIAN MusEUM—ZOoo.Locy, VOL. I.

process from angle,15. Greatest length of under jaw from outer
edge of condyle to alveolus of incisors inside, 30.

This handsome wood rat was procured by Mr. Surber in a
rocky cafion a few miles from Alva in the northwestern part of
Oklahoma Territory. It appears to be scarce, only three indi-
viduals having been seen, two of which were secured. But as
Mr. Surber is still working in the Territory it is hoped he may
obtain additional specimens. JV. m. surberi is related to the WV.
macropus and NV. m. canescens style of wood rat, but can readily
be distinguished from both, by its larger size, much longer tail,
and darker color. Not having any specimens of WV. m. canescens,
I sent one of my specimens to Dr. Allen and it was compared
with his type, and he states that swrder¢ is a darker gray with
the upper surface of the tail much darker. His specimen was
taken in May, the type of swrder¢ in February. <A point not
touched upon in his letter, but which has a specific value is,
in his description of canescens Dr. Allen states that the hairs
on the lower surface of the body are pure white to the base.
In, surber¢ the entirely white hairs are confined to the breast,
throat and space between hind legs, the remainder having
plumbeous bases. The difference in the length of tail is very
great. That of canescens §, presumably the type, being 135 mm.,
while that of ¢ surberi type is 197mm. The tail of 9 surbert,
which is much shorter than that of the male, is yet 23 mm. longer
than the ¢ canescens, being 158 mm. to135 mm. The length of
tail of AZ. macropus is about the same as that of VV. m. canescens,
seven specimens averaging about 136 mm.

I have named this animal after Mr. Thaddeus Surber, the offi-
cial collector of the Field Museum.

Scalops machrinus intermedius.

Type locality. Alva, Oklahoma Territory. Adult ¢. Collected
February 23, 1899, by Thaddeus Surber.

Characters. Similar in color to SS. m. texanus Allen, but much
larger, being nearly of the same size as average specimens of 5S,
a. machrinus from Arkansas, and other Southwestern States, but
quite differently colored from them.

Color. Entire upper parts silvery-brown, somewhat lighter
than the hue exhibited by S. m. fexanus, but in some lights this is
obscured by a beautiful light purple sheen. Cheeks, chin. and
upper part of throat brownish-green, a color difficult to define as
it is constantly changing according to the light, occasionally

May, 1899. MAMMALS FROM OKLAHOMA TERRITORY—ELLIOT. 281

suffused with rust or orange color. Forehead witha small spot
at side of nose pale pink, in some specimens orange. Breast,
near the feet on front legs, and center of abdomen pale chest-

_ nut; rest of under part plumbeous, with a silvery sheen in most
lights. Front feet broad and powerful, hind feet slender, flesh
color. Nose prominent, extending beyond the mouth, flesh
color, as is also the short tail.

Cranial characters. With S. m. texanus, the difference in size
is so considerable that a comparison of their skulls is quite need-
less. Compared with that of S. a. machrinus, that of the Oklahoma
animal is smaller in all its general measurements, and there are
also other considerable differences. The nasals while shorter
are equally as broad as in the northern form, and the maxille are
much more swollen outward anteriorly in conformity with the
outward curve of the upper tooth row. The least inter-orbital
width is greater than that of S. a. machrinus, and the brain case
is narrower in the widest part for its relative length. From the
hamular process of the pterygoids to the extreme point in the
palatal notch the distance is greater in the new sub-species, and -
the palate from the notch to the alveolus of incisor inside, is
shorter, but equally as broad in the widest part. The molars are
as large, if not larger, than those of S. a. machrinus, but the pre-
molars are smaller. The angie of the mandible in the last
named form, and the coronoid process at base, are wider.

Measurements. Total length, 167 mm. Tail, 33. Hind foot,
22. Width of hand, 18.

Skull. Occipito-nasal, length, 34 mm. Greatest mastoid
breadth, 17.5. Least inter-orbital breadth, 13. Hamular process
of pterygoid to palatal notch, 6. Palatal length from notch to
alveolus of incisors, inside, 14.5. Greatest,breadth inside molars,
6.; greatest outside molars, 11. Greatest breadth of maxilla, rr.

This mole while resembling in color and the prevalence of
rusty or orange hues the S. m. texanus is altogether too large to
be identified with that sub-species. In size it is much nearer 5S.
a. machrinus, but in color does not agree with it, having the gen-
eral hue much too light for even the palest example of the north-
ern sub-species that I have seen. Several specimens were
obtained by Mr. Surber, all agreeing in size and color.

3. Reithrodontomys chrysotis, sp. nov.

Type locality. Dougherty, Oklahoma Territory. Adult ¢.
Collected April 12, 1899, by Thaddeus Surber.

282

FieLp Co_tumMBIAN MusrEumM—ZOoo.ocy, VOL. 1.

Characters. Similar in color to R. longicaudus, but larger with
longer tail, larger feet and the ears conspicuously colored inside
with orange.

Color. Above with dorsal area blackish-brown interspersed
with yellow hair, sides of head, body and upper part of forelegs
yellowish-brown, becoming almost a golden hue above the white
along the flanks. Under parts white, base of hairs plumbeous.
Ears with bases concealed beneath tufts of yellowish-brown
hairs. Apical portion outside covered with blackish-brown hairs;
inside orange especially conspicuous on apical third. Hands and
hind feet grayish-white. Tail rather stout, sparsely covered with
hair, brownish-black above, white beneath. Whiskers long,
black. On the breast are three small fulvous spots, one in the
center, and one at side of each foreleg.

Cranial characters. Compared with the skull of &. /ongicaudus,
that of the present species is very much larger in every way,
so much superior in size as to make a detailed comparison quite
needless.

Skull, Brain case very broad for its length, narrowing sharply
anteriorly to the orbital constriction. Nasals very broad pos-
teriorly, the anterior end about half as wide as the basal;
Auditory bulle large. Zygomatic arch swelling very little out-
wards. Occipita -nasal length, 21.5 mm.; least orbital con-
striction, 3; length of nasals, 9; width at base, 3; greatest
mastoid breadth, 10; zygomatic breadth, 12; length of ptery-
goid, 4; palate, 4; length of Hensel, 16; greatest breadth of
molars outside, anteriorly, 4.5.

Measurements. Total length, 153mm. Tail, 79. Hind foot,
204 sean, ols:

This harvest mouse bears a general resemblance to R#. longi-
caudus from California, but is readily distinguished by the larger
ears and their orange or golden hue inside, by the very differ-
ently colored, and larger hands and feet, and the much stouter
tail. There is no reddish fulvous visible, as serves to designate
R. artzonensis as described by Dr. Allen, and the tail is very
distinctly, not ‘‘indistinctly,” bicolor.

The above-mentioned species appear to be the only ones with
which R. chrysotis can be compared.

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